In Self Defense by Susan Sloan (phonics books .TXT) 📕

good excuse to come see you,” she announced, arriving at the house that evening with a manuscript in hand.

“And it gives me someone I can really talk to,” Clare said, smiling at her friend.

It didn’t take much convincing to get Nina to stay for dinner.  They ate in the breakfast room with the children, and then they took their coffee into the library.

“How is it going?” her confidante asked, sinking into the same leather chair that Erin had occupied not three hours earlier.

Clare sighed.  “It’s hard,” she said.  “Being alone, on my own, for the first time in my life, really.  Even when Richard wasn’t here, he was still here, if you know what I mean.”

“I’d like to say that it’ll get better, it just takes time, but I’m not sure that’s what you want to hear,” Nina said.  “Of course, in my case, my exes aren’t dead -- just deadbeats.  After I got rid of them, life got better very quickly.”

“Oh dear, you really are too much,” Clare exclaimed, laughing in spite of herself.

“There,” her friend said with satisfaction, “at least I got a chuckle out of you.”

They began talking about Thornburgh House then, Nina filling her in on all the latest gossip, and about the manuscript Nina had brought that Clare was going to be reading, and about a new author that Nina had discovered.  They were on their second cups of coffee when they heard the doorbell ring, and a moment later, Doreen brought James Lilly into the library.

“Why James, how nice to see you,” Clare said graciously, although it was just past eight o’clock, and an odd time for him to be calling.  “Nina and I are having coffee.  Will you join us?”

“No, but thank you for asking,” he said, smiling a bit shyly at the two women.  “I didn’t mean to interrupt.  I really just stopped in to say good-bye.”

“You’re not interrupting” Clare assured him.  “But what do you mean, goodbye?  Are you going away?”

“I’m going to be leaving Nicolaidis Industries.”

His announcement clearly took Clare by surprise.  “Leaving?  Good heavens, why would you do a thing like that?”

“Well, there’s a new CEO running the place now, and he has his own assistant, who’s been with him for years, that he wants to keep,” James explained.  “I certainly don’t blame him, but that means there really isn’t any place for me.”

“But you’ve been a wonderful employee, and not one we can afford to lose,” Clare said firmly.  “Surely, we can find something else for you.  I’ll talk to Doug Potter about it, personally.  In fact, I think I’ll call him right now.”  She started to get up.

“Oh, no, please don’t,” James said, stopping her.  “He’s already offered.”

“Then I don’t understand – why are you leaving?” she asked.

“Well, the thing is,” he said with a diffident shrug of his shoulders, “once you’ve been the assistant to the CEO, it’s kind of hard to go backwards.”

The light finally dawned.  “You mean because it might be seen as some sort of a demotion?”

“I don’t see as how it could be anything else, really,” he said.  “But don’t get me wrong.  These things happen and there are no hard feelings.  I’ve had some wonderful years at Nicolaidis.  Your husband gave me the chance to learn, and I learned a lot.  And I’ll be able to take all that experience with me to my next position.  I’ll always be grateful, to him and to the company.”

“But it isn’t just my husband who depended on you,” Clare reminded him ruefully.  “In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve come to depend on you, too.”

“Oh, and you still can,” he declared earnestly.  “Any time you need anything.  It doesn’t matter where I am.  Just call me.  Please.  Even if you don’t need anything, even if you just feel like talking.  I’ll always be available to you.”

“Why, thank you, James,” Clare responded.  “That’s really very sweet of you.”

“And whenever you’re ready to go back to doing your charity work,” he said in a rush, “I want you to know that my tuxedo will be clean and pressed and waiting, if you need it -- uh -- I mean, need me . . . I mean, need me in it -- to accompany you somewhere.”

Nina listened to the exchange with interest.  James Lilly was such a nice fellow, and he and Clare seemed to get on so well, it was a shame she had to lose him, too.  Ripples, she thought.  One thing happened that led to something else that led to something else, and it just kept going.  Nothing was ever simple. Nothing ever stayed the same.

“Are you going to be leaving the company right away?” she heard Clare ask.

“I’ve given my notice,” he said.  “I’ve been asked to bring Mr. Potter’s assistant up to speed, which of course I’ll do.  But that should only take a few weeks.  Meantime, I’m going to be sending out my resume.”

“I don’t know what to say, James,” Clare said finally.  “Except I hate that we’re going to lose you, and I wish you all the luck in the world.”

“Oh, I don’t need luck,” he drawled with a big grin and a little twinkle in his eye.  “I’ve got a glowing recommendation from the new CEO, not to mention most of the rest of senior management.”

“You know what?” Nina said when he was gone.  “I don’t think you’ve seen the last of him.”

“Really?  What makes you say that?”

“I don’t know,” her friend replied.  “Just a feeling, I guess.  Or maybe it was something I sensed in his manner that was maybe a little more than just friendly.”

“Nonsense,” Clare said, even as she blushed.

“Oh don’t worry, I’m not matchmaking.  I just think you’ve become friends, and friends are something you need right now.  You know that.  And I think James knows it, too.”

“Really?”

“Mark my words,” Nina asserted.  “If you don’t call him soon, he’ll be calling you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eight

Clare stared at the two detectives she knew, and a third man she